Clutch for wire-feeding mechanisms.



J. PAGLIARUL. CLUTCH FOR WIRE FEEDING MECHANISMS. APPL IfiATION FILED JUNE2I, 1915.

1,207,068. Patented Dec. 5,1916.

TINTTED STATES PATEN T @FFTCE.

JOSEPH PAGLIARUL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH E. SMYTI-I, OF

' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLUTCH FOR WIRE-FEEDING MECHANISMS.

Application filed June 21, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrrr PAGLIARUL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chlcago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Clutches for WVn'e- Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clutches for wire-feeding mechanisms and, although it may be utilized for many different purposes, it is particularly well adapted for use in connection wlth wirestapling machines.

Among the salient objects of the invention are, to provide a clutch which when reciprocated will be effective to feed a definite amount of wire in a certain direction at each complete reciprocation; to provide a device of the class described which will not slip when moving the wire forwardly in the direction of feed; to provide a device of the class described which will free itself from the wire quickly and effectively as soon as the back stroke is commenced; to provide a device of the class described which will instantly and positively grip the wire as soon as the feeding stroke is commenced; to provide a device of the class described which, although extremely simple in form, has a very large wearing surface and will thus last a very long time without replacement or repair; to provide a device of the class described in which the principal gripping surface is definitely fixed until the adjustment of the device is changed so as to present a fresh gripping surface; to provide a device of the class described in which all of the gripping surfaces are symmetrically disposed with reference to each other so that there is no necessity for readjustments when the working or gripping surface is chan ed; to provide a device of the class descrlbed which shall be simple and economical in construction and cheap and eflicient to maintain and operate; and, in general, to provide an improved construction of the character referred to.

As illustrating the application of my invention, I will describe my device as applied to a wire-stapling machine of approved construction and shown in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings-Figure 1 is an end elevation of certain of the operating parts of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Serial No. 35,259.

the wire-stapling machine referred to and showing my improved device; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of the device itself; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of the lower part of the device with the gripper wheel and presser finger removed; Fig. at is an enlarged end elevation of the gripping wheel; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the presser finger.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1, 10 is the main shaft of the wire-stapling machine, to which shaftis securely keyed the wire-feed cam 11 having a cam surface 12 adapted in its rotation to engage a cam roller 13 rotatably mounted upon the end of the pivoted wire-feed lever 14. As the shaft 10 rotates, the lever 1a is oscillated upon its pivot 15, around which is trained a spring 1.6 for retracting the lever 14: against an adjustable stop 17 projecting from the face of the mounting plate 18. The wire 19, which is maintained under tension by any suitable device, as it is fed off from a supply reel (not shown), passes through the straightener 20 and by means of my improved device, designated as a whole 21, it is fed into the wire-stapling head designated as a whole 22.

Describing the details of my improved device, the lower end of the oscillatory lever 11 has secured to it a plate 23, the lower end of which isarc-shaped and concentric with the pivot 15. In said arcuate edge 24 I prefer to form a channel or groove 25 of uniform depth and of sufficient width to comfortably receive the wire and prevent the latter from slipping off the arc-shaped edge of the plate. The sides of said groove are cut away flush with the bottom surface of the same for a short distance adjacent that end of the plate 23 which is nearer to the stapling mechanism 22, as shown at 26 in Fig. 3. Back of said cut-away part 26 and projecting downwardly from the edge of the plate 23 is a flat lug or tongue 27 haviug its face substantially parallel with the plane of movement of the arm 14. In the lower part of said lug 27 and slightly to one side is securely fixed a pin 28 which projects outwardly from said face and furnishes a bearing for the gripper wheel 29. The gripper wheel 29 is preferably a cylindrical section of hardened tool steel, the periphery of which is furnished with ratchet-shaped teeth 30. Said gripper wheel 29 is formed with a central projecting stem or pin 31, the head of which is rounded and enlarged, as shown at 32. On a circle concentric with the center of the gripper wheel 29 I drill a series of apertures 33 of proper diameter to fit loosely over the pivot pin 28.

In the upper portion of the plate 23 I securely fix a screw or pin 3% which forms a pivotal bearing for the spring-pressed finger member 35, which tends to move in a plane parallel with the plane of movement of the lever 1 L under the influence of a spring 36 secured to and coiled around the pin 34 and having its lower end 37 engaging a pin 38 projecting outwardly from the face of the finger 35. The spring 36 is coiled in a direction whereby its tendency is to force the lower end of the member 35 toward the wire supply, and the lower end of said finger is slotted, as shown at 39, so as to admit the neck or stem 31 of the gripper wheel. The position of the pin 28 with reference to the bottom 26 of the arc-shaped groove, said surface 26 constituting one of the gripping surfaces, is such that when the wire is in position in the bottom of said groove and on said gripping surface 26, the gripper wheel 29 will be forced into engagement with the wire by the spring-pressed finger 35. The gripper wheel 29 in fact constitutes a spring-pressed toggle member which, in conjunction with the gripping surface 26, permits the wire to be drawn between the wheel and the surface 26 in one direction, but positively prevents movement of the wire in the other direction.

The gripper member 29 is of comparatively insignificant weight and is not directly attached to the finger 35, so that its gripping action is at once responsive to any movement of the oscillatory feed lever 14, it having practically no inertia. If after being used for a considerable length of time certain of the ratchet teeth which have been operative to grip the wire, are found to be 7 slightly worn or dulled by constant use, the

position of the wheel 29 upon the pivot 28 is changed so as to cause a different aperture 33 to engage said pin, thus bringing a new set of ratchet teeth into operation. In the specific embodiment illustrated, I have shown six of the apertures 33, which would enable me to adjust the ratchet wheel 29 in six different positions and obtain the same amount of wear from the gripper wheel in each position, before being compelled to replace it with a new wheel or to sharpen the ratchet teeth. It should be understood that when the apertures 33 are placed the same distance from the center of the wheel, that is to say, upon a circle concentric with the periphery. of the wheel, the position of the gripper wheel and its consequent toggling efiect are uniform, whichever one of the apertures 33 is used to form the pivotal connection with the pin 28. If it is desired to re-adjust the wheel or to clean the gripping surfaces 26, it is a very simple matter to remove the wheel without the use of tools or disabling the connection between any of the parts. In such case, all that is necessary is to pull back the finger 35 against the action of the spring 36 far enough to disengage the face of the wheel 29, after which the latter may be slipped sidewise ofi its pin 28.

It should be understood that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited by the details of construction described, errcept as specified in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reciprocatorymember hav;

ing a gripping surface, a gripping wheel-g having a central concentric headed projecting pm and plvoted eccentrlcally upon said reclprocatory member and ad acent sa1d gripplng surface, a finger engaging said pin between said wheel and the head, and a"-- spring engaging said finger for forcing the gripping wheel toward sa1d gripping surface andoperatmg in a directlon opposed to the direction of feed, whereby said gripping W wheel constitutes a toggle to grip the wire.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reciprocatory member having a gripping surface, a circular member having a plurality of bearing apertures eccentrically disposed in said member, a pivot for said circular member mounted on said reciprocatory member adjacent said gripping surface and adapted to enter any one of said apertures, and spring means adapted,

to force the circular member toward said'105 gripping surface, operating in a direction opposed to the direction of feed, whereby the wire is gripped between said gripping surface and said circular member.

3. In a wire-feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a reciprocatory member provided with a gripping surface, a cylindrical toothed ratchet wheel provided with a plurality of eccentrically arranged bearing apertures, a pivot for said 1 wheel mounted on said reciprocatory member adjacent said gripping surface and adapted to enter any one of said apertures, and a spring-pressed finger pivoted on said reciprocatory member and engaging said' wheel to force the latter toward said gripping surface in a direction contrary to the direction of the wirefeed whereby the wire is gripped between the wheel and the gripping surface. t

i. In a wire-feeding device of the class described, the combination of a reciprocatory member having a gripping surface, a cylindrical gripping wheel provided with peripheral ratchet teeth having acentral projection and provided with a plurality of eccentrically disposed bearing apertures, a pivot for said wheel mounted on said reciprocatory member adjacent to and opposite said gripping surface and entering any one of said apertures whereby said gripper wheel may swing in a plane at right angles to its axis, and a spring-pressed finger engaging said wheel tending to force the same toward said gripping surface in a direction contrary to the direction of wire-feed whereby the wire is gripped between the wheel and the gripplng surface.

5. In a wire-feeding device of the class described, the combination of a reciproca tory member having a gripping surface, a fixed pin mounted on said reciprocatory member having its axis at right angles to the direction of wire feed, a gripper wheel having ratchet teeth on its periphery, having a central projection and provided with a plurality of bearing holes eccentrically arranged, with their axes parallel to the axis of the wheel, any one of said apertures being adapted to form with said pivot a pivotal mounting for said wheel whereby the latter may swing in a plane parallel to the direction of wire feed, and a springpressed finger pivoted on said reciprocatory member, engaging said projection and tending to force the wheel toward said gripping surface and in a direction contrary to the direction of wire feed whereby the wire is gripped between the wheel and the gripping surface.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, this 17th day of June, 1915.

JOSEPH PAGLIARUL.

WVitnesses:

C. A. SoANs, EMILIE Rosn.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

